Protege Moi
by J. Marguerite
Summary: Devi goes to the cinema, and learns French by the one and only Johnny. Song-fic to Placebo's 'Protege Moi'.


A/N: It's my birthday. Go me.

Anyway, started this last night, never finished it, so I'm re-writing it.

I burnt my thumb. Burny. So very burny. The skin's going to fall off, I think. Poor Jay.

Wonderful disclaimer: Jay owns Placebo because she can. Jay doesn't own Placebo anymore because she got sued. Poor Jay. Jay will go and try to buy JTHM now. Because she can.

Delicious (wtf?) warning: If this fic causes insanity, you suck.

Info: Did you know that I rule? Well, I do. So worship me.

Anyway, I thought this up last night, when my thumb wasn't burnt and I hadn't actually gotten a year older. So yeah.

I love Placebo. 

English lyrics are Italic. French are underlined. French version of _Protège-moi_ is so much better than the English. Also, because I can, everything (save this) that is English is in Italics. 

Pretty, ne?

***

C'est le malaise du moment,

__

It's that disease of the age,

L'épidémie qui s'étend._  
It's that disease that we crave._

La fête est finie, on descend,_  
Alone at the end of the race,_

Les pensées qui glacent la raison._  
We catch the last bus home.  
_

Devi sat down upon the somewhat eerily sticky seat in cinema seven at the Cinema Duplex Arena. She swung her black bag in the seat next to her, her box of popcorn in between her legs. Pulling a bottle of water from the backpack, she unscrewed the lid, set the bottle in the cup-holder, and proceeded to scrounge through the pack once more. Finding what she had been looking for- a bag of her favourite candy, Malteasers- she leant back in the seat and gazed up at the large silver screen. 

Foreign films- particularly French ones- was not Devi's all time favourite genre. Yet Tenna (whom she was thankful for was not there) had seen the movie a couple of days back and eventually persuaded her friend into seeing it. And Devi, deciding maybe that she should go out more for Heaven knows what reason, decided that a film would be an easy way to go back into the outside world.

As the ads began to roll, the woman looked around the cinema. Devi was not surprised to find it fairly empty. Only three other people seemed to be in there, two of them being rather horny teenagers who couldn't keep their hands off one another. The third person was sitting in front of her, a seat on her right. The character was somewhat hidden, however, being as they were sitting low in the chair, and Devi could only see a few tufts of their hair sticking up, over their chair.

Letting out a low sigh, Devi, too, shifted lower in her chair, and pulled her candy out of the popcorn box she had thrown them in, and tugged at the packet. It refused to open. Sighing, she tugged harder, until the plastic stretched to breaking point, and open. A few of the chocolates flew into the air, and Devi winced, although was grateful she was sitting at the very back of the cinema. As the confectionery began to fall, she watched, as if in slow motion, as one of the chocolate balls fell towards the seat of the person in front of her. There was a soft 'thonk' as it landed in a box that sounded as if it was full of popcorn.

Devi let out a soft whine, and sat up. Leaning over, she began an apology, yet abruptly stopped as she saw who the stranger was. She felt as if her spine had turned to jelly, and all the blood was running out of her face. Catching her breath, she sat quickly back, and stuttered out the only thing she could think of at the time: 'J-Johnny…'

Paupières baissées, visages gris,_  
Corporate America wakes,_

Surgissent les fantômes de notre lit._  
Coffee republic in case._

On ouvre le loquet de la grille,_  
We open the latch on the gate,_

Du taudis qu'on appelle maison._  
Of the hole that we call our home.  
_

The male stared back at the woman, his dark eyes surrounded by matching dark circles, telling the tale of many sleepless nights. One, long, lean hand curved around the red-and-black seat, long fingernails digging into the fabric. Devi stared at that hand, images of it coming towards her with a knife playing in her head. Everything about Johnny was long and lean. 

There was a pause, and both adults seemed unsure as to what to do. Devi's heart was pounding a thousand miles a minute and she began to wonder what was going through Johnny's mind. She doubted he had planned to come to the cinema the same day as her. Devi hadn't even planned it until that very morning. The silence between the two, and the horrid smooching sounds coming from the teenagers was beginning to get to Devi, and she squirmed in her seat. Thankfully, Johnny broke the silence.

He held out the hand which had been hidden from Devi's view, and offered her lost candy to her.

'I believe this is yours?' he uttered, nodding towards it. A lock of blue-black hair fell in front of his face, creating a shadow from his already dark face. Devi nodded, and with a shaking hand, reached out and took hold of the Malteaser. Her fingers brushed intentionally over his palm, and she immediately snapped her hand back. Like a frightened rabbit, she hung her head, and gazed down at the candy. It was somewhat warm, most likely from having been in Johnny's grasp. His hand was actually rather cold, yet that didn't seem to matter for the time being.

Another silence grew between them, and Devi began to ponder as to why she was frightened. She could still feel the man's eyes upon the top of her head, and she knew that added to her fearful manner, along with the fact he had attempted murder. Yet there was something else causing her to jump when he adjusted his weight, and watched her with his hands folded beneath his chin, hands resting atop the chair. 

Several long minutes passed, and in the end, Devi grew bored of the sweet. Placing it in its bag with its sister sweets, she looked up slowly, and crossed her ankles under the chair, purely out of habit. She, with faux confidence, returned the gaze Johnny was giving her. Her dark green eyes bore into returning brown ones. She managed to control her breathing, although it took a lot of effort.

And then something dawned on her. Whether it was Johnny's somewhat relaxed look, or the fact she was allowing him to stare at her in such a way boyish way, she finally realised something. Despite his murderous ways, Johnny still loved her. He was, in fact, still human.

  
Protect me from what I want...  
Protect me, protect me

(Protège-moi, protège-moi…)  


__

And the worst thing was, she still cared for him, too.

Sommes-nous les jouets du destin._  
Maybe we're victims of fate._

Souviens-toi des moments divins?_  
Remember when we'd celebrate?_

Planant, éclatés au matin,_  
We'd drink and get high until late,_

Et maintenant nous sommes tout seuls._  
And now we're all alone.  
_

Devi made another uncomfortable movement in her chair, and tried not to grimace as the girl in the front row made a noise that sounded much like the beginning of an orgasm. Finally, her false confidence into something much more real, and she leant over to tell Johnny to tun around. However, as she opened her mouth to speak, Johnny lurched forward, grabbed her by her collar, and literally dragged her into the row with him. 

Devi tried to scream, but a firm, bony hand clamped down upon her mouth, and all she could was struggle. Johnny seemed to have gathered more strength since the last time they had come in contact with one another, and much to Devi's dismay he didn't even flinch. At last, she relaxed, and drew in a long breath of air when his hand moved from her mouth. After a few minutes, she found herself with her head upon his lap, an armrest up to allow her to lie down properly, and her foot resting upon the second armrest that was two feet down, her other foot upon the floor. Devi began to wonder if maybe Johnny had planned it, but realised the thought was stupid when she felt his bag underneath her thigh. She fished it out, handed it to him, and sat up.

Johnny didn't even bother to keep her down as she sat up, and instead reached over behind him and grabbed her own bag and box of popcorn. Handing both items to Devi, he settled back in his seat, and turned to the screen. Devi found this most annoying, and slapped him harshly. Holding his cheek, he snapped his head to face her, eyes wide with shock. 

'What did you do that for?' he hissed loudly. Devi just glared, tipped her popcorn on top of his head, and held her bag tightly, ready to run. Johnny just continued to stare at her, gaping. An usher entered, torch sweeping about the cinema. Devi tried to settle in her seat, heart pounding in her ears. She wished the gawky teenager would stay, yet he soon left, and Devi was once again left to her own devices if Johnny decided to attack.

Somehow she dated the teenagers up front would be any help.

Yet Johnny didn't attack, and ended up picking popcorn out of his hair. Popping a piece in his mouth, he grabbed his own box, and offered it to her. Devi declined immediately. Placing the box back by his side, he played with the gloves he had on. Devi watched him out of the corner of her eye, and noted that the gloves had no tips, his bare fingertips weaving across the material. There was silence, and Devi grew uncomfortable, despite the fact the movie was playing. Sighing, she leant over, and whispered quietly in Johnny's ear 'What do you think of the movie so far?'

Johnny lifted his head, as if contemplating the question, and replied softly 'I prefer our old conversations.'

This caught Devi by surprise, and she turned back to the screen, watching the French actors play the parts.

Perdus les rêves de s'aimer,_  
Wedding bells ain't gonna chime,_

Le temps où on avait rien fait._  
With both of us guilty of crime._

Il nous reste toute une vie pour pleurer,_  
And both of us sentenced to time,_

Et maintenant nous sommes tout seuls._  
And now we're all alone.  
_

Another silence formed, yet by now Devi expected it. The silently watched the actors for several minutes. The male seemed to be trying to convince the female something. There were no subtitles for the film, so Devi found it difficult to follow. 

Shifting lower in her seat, she heard Johnny mutter something by her side. Turning her head, she raised a brow. Catching her gaze, Johnny repeated what he had said softly.

'Vous valez la peine toutes mes larmes.'

Devi frowned. 'What does that mean?' she asked quietly. French, even at school, and especially now, had never been her forte. 

'I've seen this film before. Pierre- the man- he just said it. It means 'you are worth all my tears'. He's been crying for her because he loves her and she won't return her feelings. Haven't you been following it?'

Devi blushed for some reason she couldn't grasp, and shook her head. 'I don't understand French.' Johnny just let out a soft 'oh' and nodded. They paused, and Devi gave a few fleeting glances at the screen. Finally, she let her eyes rest upon it. Neither of them spoke for a moment, before Johnny leant over, and whispered in her ear:

'Why do you fear me? I don't want to hurt you anymore.'

A chill was sent up and down the girls' spine, and she froze. She could feel his lips brush- most likely involuntarily- against her ear.

'Did he just say that?' she whispered, somewhat praying it wasn't. 

Johnny shook his head. 'No.'

Devi swallowed a lump in her throat, and closed her eyes.

'Well… Johnny… I fear you… because… because I just do. Wouldn't you if somebody tried to kill you?'

She felt him shake his head.

  
Protect me from what I want...  
Protect me, protect me.  
Protect me from what I want...

(Protège-moi, protège-moi…)_  
Protect me, protect me.  
_

'I don't fear you, do I?'

'… No.'

'And you haven't tried to kill me again, have you?'

'… No.'

'Then should you fear me?'

'… No.'

Protège-moi, protège-moi,

Protège-moi de mes désirs.

Protège-moi, protège-moi.

The movie ended an hour later, and through that time frame, neither of them spoke again. Once the credits began to roll, and Devi was still as clueless as she was when the film began as to what had happened, she turned to Johnny, and found something… odd.

He was asleep.

His head was resting upon her shoulder, and through the movie she hadn't dared look, thinking he had purposely placed it there. Devi shifted uncomfortably, and tried to think of a way to wake him. He looked, and she hated to admit it, rather adorable. His defenses were down- much more than they had been when he had been staring at her at the beginning of the movie- and the dark circles seemed to be fading as every minute passed.

But she knew she had to wake him. So she shifted her weight, making it seem like she too had just woken up, and the movement caused the male to wake. He woke with a start, and was immediately back in his old mode. He gazed about the cinema, and as if remembering what had happened, he turned to Devi, and eyed her suspiciously. He seemed to be trying to figure out if she knew he had slept.

Devi innocently stared back, although her heart was pounding in her chest. Grabbing her bag, she shifted it onto one shoulder, and stood.

'The movie's finished' she finally said. Johnny nodded. 'I'm going home now.' She continued. Johnny nodded once more. 'So… bye.' 

Johnny shook his head.

Devi frowned. Johnny stood, his nose brushing against hers.

'Bonjour' _and he placed a small kiss against her lips. Devi startled, but returned the kiss with a hesitant movement. The soon parted, and, in a daze, Devi backed out of the cinema, and into the lobby. When she was sure Johnny hadn't followed, she rushed to her car, jumped in. and drove home.._

  
Protect me from what I want...

Protect me, protect me.  
Protect me from what I want...  
Protect me, protect me...

Protège-moi.

A/N: Aren't foreign films the shniz? No?

Well, too bad.

Revue!

__

Review!


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